not sure about you, but here in western NY we waited for the summer for a while and after that long and cold winter - enjoying every day of summer is a must!
We got to do that in a big way by visiting our daughter and her fiancee at their home in Surf City NC. For four amazing days - what can I say? - a complete beach life indulgence!!!
As soon as we got up we had to go to the beach of course (just a walk over the sand dunes from their home!)
A favorite photo of hubby and me...

...and a silly one of my girl and me! :)

And just standing there and listening to the sound of the ocean...I don't know why, but if you would hear any sound over and over, all the time, it would drive you crazy, right? Yet listening to the ocean all the time just feels like coming home... (and no, I have never lived by the ocean!)

Oh but fear not - we did work on the wedding dress too!! Finalized the choices of lace, choices of actual fabric from swatches...all ordered!!

I am sooo excited to make this wedding dress for my amazing girl!!

I simply can't believe how much we did and saw and yet it felt so relaxing and just...wonderful! We collected a whole bunch of these beautiful, BIG seashells that just might find their way onto decorations for this beach wedding...

Oh and every chance we got, we were in the most charming, beautiful local bakery, called Sugar Island bakery! OOOOH my goodness!!! If you ever have a chance to visit Surf City (or close), make sure you go there!!! Not only do they have most heavenly, home made bake goods of any kind, amazing coffee and tea - they also champion all local artist and hand-made art and bakery is full of them! Just when you enter, yummy stuff greets you (both baked and otherwise - spot that set of vintage bowls!!)

We also visited an amazing place - Karen Beasely Sea Turtle hospital!! What an amazing place, doing amazing work, taking care of this planet's treasures!! Seeing these beauties from close distance, learning of their story and all the things that we humans can do (sometimes unknowingly) to hurt them, and of course many happy endings of rehab and release - it was just great!
This is October - and she was released back into the ocean just days after!!

As I said, we had such wonderful, wonderful time enjoying so many things - most of all, being with Jelena and Steve! I simply can't wait for the wedding at the end of August!!

Came home to a garden in full bloom and even some fruits that started growing!!

I am so excited for these little peaches - it is THE tree hubby planted in honor of our little granddaughter Juliana, when she was born! (and who we lovingly all called Peaches, before she was born). She even touched them the other day when we walked through the garden! :)

Finally delivered a quilt I quilted for my friend Lori - I had so much fun being inspired by each friendship block, as I went!

Some swirls here...

Some McThavishing here...

...and some leaves in the pinwheel block... and in the sashing.

...or curly plumes...

Love how this one turned too (quite proud of my "straight" lines done free-motion! but they can be better of course... :) )

Here is all of it from the back:

And then I saw THIS!!

I missed the spot!!! UGH!
And of course I noticed that ONLY in the photo, AFTER I already gave the quilt to Lori! Hope I can correct it, she lives close by! :)

And as always - my trusty Italians did the job - 50wt Aurifil - this beautiful, subtly variegated one is one of my favorites!! I can't believe how perfect it was for this quilt!!

And the deep gold-brown one for the back:

As always - perfect colors, no breaks, no problems!! Total #AuriLOVE .

And next on the table is a whole bunch of new fabrics - trying to make some of my older patterns in new, fresh fabric!

I am excited to try linen as the background (left part of the photo)!

So stay tuned, I will post my progress and also - did some baking the other day! - step by step tutorial how to make this Serbian-style sweet treat is coming! (fruits and nuts in phyllo sheet pastry!)

I hope you all are enjoying summertime as much as possible!

What are you up to? What is in your sewing machine or cutting table? In your garden or kitchen? Nosy me would love to know! :)